On 16 October 2025, City and Guilds of London Institute (CGLI) announced the sale of its commercial awarding organisation and skills training activities to PeopleCert

The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into City and Guilds of London Institute.

www.gov.uk/.../regulator-investigates-charity-over-concerns-about-asset-sale

mapj1 said:

It may be your comment is tongue-in-cheek, but for those who are not sure...

Oh dear! I was a bit - my apologies. I could have mentioned that we were up in time to be on the river by 07:00 (rowing, not punting), Saturdays were working days with lectures and lab work (at least in the mornings), bank holidays did not exist (too modern!), and some supervisions (tutorials) were after dinner. Sundays were for prayers.

My point really was that there is nothing wrong or new about the notion of an independent institution which not only facilitates learning, but makes its own assessment as to whether students have reached the desired standard.

Andy Millar said:

The good ship "education and training is best provided by private organisations" set sail 45 years ago...

Around the time that I graduated. :-)

Andy Millar said:

And, for the avoidance of doubt, personally I do think all certified education and training should be in public rather than private ownership

Not sure that I agree on that one.

Which rather justifies the origin of this thread.

the time that I graduated

Ha, well in that case I'm just  a few years younger than you then, but we both benefited from a grant system at  time when a much smaller fraction of teenagers went on to complete anything much beyond O levels, well at the comp I went to anyway.

Mike.

Beware Greeks bearing gifts?

Should the attached been a warning of a failure of corporate governance.

https://thenegotiator.co.uk/news/big-agent-training-organisation-faces-200000-fine-from-regulator/

A quick squint at this persons Wikipedia entry is interesting. I mean claiming that you have a PHD and an MA on your CV is an easy mistake to make isn't it? 

www.telegraph.co.uk/.../

Surely this cannot be true?

https://tombewick.substack.com/p/exclusive-c-and-g-insiders-turn-on

Given my experience, c.v. fraud must be quite common. I have worked with at least three people who had been appointed on the basis of qualifications which they did not possess. The thing is that nobody asked to see the certificates.

One landed on my desk on a Friday afternoon when everybody else had gone POETS. I called the culprit, explained that there had been a serious allegation, and would he kindly bring his certificate to work on Monday morning. I never saw him again.

That left a gap, so I called the next in line and asked him to bring his certificate on Monday morning (with a view to giving acting promotion). When he asked me whether I wanted him to take it out of the frame, I knew that we were on safe ground.

It appears the 7 Nolan Principles of Rules for Public Life have been  totally ignored in this case

1. Selflessness – Holders of public office always place the public interest before themselves.
2. Integrity – Holders of public office must not take unfairly decisions that benefit themselves or people they know and should report all conflicts of interest.
3. Objectivity – Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4. Accountability – Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5. Openness – Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6. Honesty – Holders of public office should be truthful.
7. Leadership – Holders of public office should act as examples to others and call out poor behaviour when they see it.